Looking shifty

A Seven Speed Cassette

Although the bike has a 3x7 drive train, I'm not going to replace the front derailleur shifter.   I'm going to leave it on the large ring (38T) and lock the derailleur down.  But that leaves the rear cassette as a question.  The minimalist in me wants a single bar end shifter on the left bar.  Retro chic would put the shifter on the stem or the handle bar.  Down tube shifters would also be retro chic, yet completely impracticable.  Or I could put on a cheap Shimano trigger shifter on the right, and call it a day.

Bar End Shifters

I'm leaning towards a bar end shifter.  I like the aesthetic.  And I recall, on my old Le Tour III, having stem mounted friction shifters, and I recall them working well.  (At least when they were tight.  When they were loose, potholes would move the levers around and be very frustrating.)  But... expense is an issue, and it's hard to get just one.

$54   Microshift bar end shifter; friction ratchet, new from Rivendell Bikes

$65   Shimano/Suntour shifter, lightly used from eBay

Bar / Stem Shifter

A single Paul's Thumbie could be mounted on the bar or stem, with a down-tube shifter.  These are more plentiful on eBay, and cheaper.  But the total cost would likely be higher.

$39   Single Paul's Thumbie (Thumby?)

$38   Dia-Compe down-tube levers, new from Ben's Cycle

Trigger shifter

Sure, they're ugly.  Sure, they won't match the bike.  Sure, they're cheap and work well.  And I can get just the left one.

$12   Shimano Altus M310

What do you think?